Bilingualism. Multilingualism
What did Napoleon Bonaparte, Marie Curie, Jean Jaurès and Nelson Mandela have in common?
In addition to their fame, excellence and success, they were bilingual and even multilingual and as François Grosjean, professor emeritus of psycholinguistics, tells us in his book "The World of Bilinguals", at least half of humanity is bilingual. In France, an officially monolingual country, it is estimated that around 400 languages are spoken!
It is interesting that among the many factors that determine the development of bilingualism, François Grosjean insists on a criterion that is rarely taken into account, but which nevertheless constitutes the basis of bilingualism in children: the need to communicate in a given language.
“If you speak to a man in a language he understands, you speak to his head. If you speak to him in his language, you speak to his heart. ” – Nelson Mandela
“The limits of my language are the limits of my world” – Ludwig Wittgenstein
My son, born in France, is a native Russian speaker. Around the age of 4, after spending a year at a school in the Paris region, he began to answer me in French during our conversations, which were usually in Russian... Surprised, I had a very simple answer from him: "Mom, why do I have to speak Russian if my classmates only understand me in French and you also understand me in French, right?" Indeed, why will he speak a different language if parents and friends understand it. The child always chooses the path of least resistance!
Our brains are tuned to learn all the time. Language learning through immersion from kindergarten
In our school we take into account the particularity of learning from a very young age: we do not learn at the age of 2, we imitate, we repeat, we communicate, we dance, we sing! This is the real need and a completely natural explanation for the child.
Every day, half a day is thus dedicated to learning English, in immersion from kindergarten. At this age, quoting Barbara Abdelilah-Bauer, the renowned linguist and language teacher: " we do not teach the language, it is not the subject of learning but the teaching support "
In the kindergarten class during the intuitive language acquisition phase, the child is offered enjoyable activities during which English is introduced. These are the concrete contexts that will allow the child to guess the meaning of what is said. (The "contextualized" language according to Stephen Krashen, linguist, professor at the University of California)
"A glass of water, please. Thank you" - becomes a time-honored phrase used by all children in kindergarten to ask for a drink. In the same way, children learn the names of colors by manipulating with paint or building blocks. Language activities related to vocabulary development (nomenclature cards, reading, word games, songs, rhythmic musical awakenings) are done in 2 or even 3 languages, allowing children to associate objects with their names and at the same time developing the child's cognitive abilities: concentration, attention, observation, memory.
Later in elementary school, we continue with pleasure and assiduity. Thus, history, geography, mathematics, several activities are taught in the second language.
Teaching the 3rd language (Russian) is offered as an option from kindergarten.
Each language represents a different cultural space that involves a new way of thinking, learning and acting. From then on, the child understands that there is another with whom he must learn to communicate.
A second language understood, spoken and written from the first years of schooling gives children the chance to evolve in different cultures, to prepare for flexibility, to obtain the tools necessary to prepare for the world of tomorrow.
English-language work supports in primary school
From the moment they enter primary school, students work on files designed for English-speaking children. The language is therefore studied in depth with grammar, vocabulary, writing and listening exercises.
At the International Montessori School of Juan Les Pins, from CP onwards we prepare students who wish to do so for international language exams as well as entrance exams for international colleges.
These tests, very popular with children, attest to a level of listening, writing and understanding of the language.
International children
At the same time, non-French speaking children who join the International Montessori School of Juan les Pins follow a rhythmic program in the same way as the other students. They learn the French language for half a day in immersion. They can also study English, Russian or Chinese.
The French-speaking world in which they are immersed allows them to learn the language quickly and easily. The teachers, very vigilant, accompany them to encourage their adaptation.